


Cloud Giants

by TheGoodDoctor



Category: Yonderland (TV)
Genre: F/M, Gen, Mythology - Freeform, Pre-Relationship, Storytelling, Thunderstorms
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-29
Updated: 2017-03-29
Packaged: 2018-10-12 14:48:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,574
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10493211
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheGoodDoctor/pseuds/TheGoodDoctor
Summary: It doesn't often rain in Yonderland. The Elders really ought to fix the hole in the roof.





	

It doesn't often rain in Yonderland.

This is, apparently, unusual; well, Debbie says it is, although she says that about most things, and there is plenty to support the argument that Debbie is unusual, particularly after the bridges incident.*

A particularly large drip lands on the end of Vex’s nose and he shudders, pouting. Looking up at the gaping hole in the roof, squinting against the rain, he finds himself wishing that there was more rain in the realm (which was new) so that the Elders would be better prepared (all too old).

“Right!” Choop says decisively, slapping his knees with a wet noise. “This cannot continue. Something must be done!”

 

*Vex is fairly sure he doesn't own a bridge and has no intention of crossing one - and besides, if it's _his_ bridge, surely he has the right to burn it, crossed or uncrossed. And where are the chickens? How can he count them if he doesn't even know where they are? And what is a _chickens_?

* * *

The rain drums on the tarpaulin and the candlelight flickers.

“Well, this is much better,” Vex says, his voice about the only dry thing in the room.

Choop huffs. “Have you got a better idea?”

“We could always give up on the meeting and-” Ho-Tan is interrupted by a flash of light, roll of thunder and the screams of her fellow Elders. Hesitantly, fingers still in ears, she opens one eye and surveys the scene before her: Choop is cuddling Trevor to his chest, eyes squeezed shut, with Flowers and Pressley pressed to either side. Pressley is making fists, as if preparing to fight the sky itself, and Vex appears to be an inch closer to her every time she looks at him. Ho-Tan sighs and moves the candle further from a drip. “Or we could stay here.”

The door to the Chamber opens, giving the Elders a perfect view of Elf, Nick, and Debbie’s legs. “Uh...guys?” The Chosen One says cautiously.

“They're under the protection of Paul In of Tar,” Elf says, and Ho-Tan gives him a thumbs up, putting the hastily-written message back in her book.

“Down here,” Nick sighs, and Debbie leans down to look under the canvas which had been strung up over the floor at bench-height.

“We're trying something new,” Pressley says hesitantly.

“The roof is fine, or we would have mended it long ago,” Choop adds.

Debbie looks up at the roof and back at the Elders. “Uh huh.”

They shuffle awkwardly on the damp* cushions under her gaze. The one candle flickers and they gasp. Ho-Tan brings her book to her chest defensively to keep it away from the drips.

“Do you not want to go elsewhere?” Debbie asks. “Somewhere less...damp?”

Vex brightens. “Your loft?”

“What - no. Why do you like my loft so much?” Debbie says, frowning.

There is a second flash and rumble. Ho-Tan flinches as the others scream and attempt to compress themselves into each other even more, then wishes she had moved more as all the air is knocked out of her by Vex’s elbow. She and Debbie share looks of winded commiseration; Vex is busy looking proud of himself for saving the Chosen One, dragging her in as he jumped into Ho-Tan’s lap. She now has armfuls of Vex, the corners of her book pressed into her chest, and Debbie sprawled by her crossed legs.

Debbie pushes the hood of her raincoat back and sits up. “That answers that one, I suppose.”

“We're not scared of the cloud giants,” Vex says sheepishly, and the other Elders shake their heads. He remains curled into Ho-Tan’s chest, though, which is not unpleasant, so she allows it. Her arms come up, almost of their own volition, to encircle and hold close the other Elder.

The Chosen One smiles fondly at them all. “No, of course not. Well, this will hardly do, will it?” She gestures at the shelter. “That corner’s coming loose, and that will never hold. And it's collecting water in the middle.” She shrugs at their confusion. “I build a lot of blanket forts with the twins.”

 

*For various reasons - best not to ask.

* * *

The shelter, now well-lit and dry, feels much more secure with Debbie in it. The thunder persists, however, and although Vex is now merely next to, as opposed to in, Ho-Tan’s lap, the noise makes him flinch every time. Ho-Tan sends him a fond look when he's not looking and resists the urge to pull him back into her arms.

“Is it really cloud giants which make the noise?” Debbie asks, to enthusiastic nodding. “Has one ever been seen?” The nodding stops, replaced with shifty looks and a discordant chorus of “everybody _knows_ …”

“What is it, then?” Ho-Tan asks, quill at the ready.

“Thunder,” Debbie says, and the Elders try out the word, rolling it around their mouths to decide if they like the taste. Ho-Tan writes it down carefully. “It's caused by lightning, or clouds walking into each other, or something.”

“Not giants?” Flowers says hopefully.

“Not giants,” Debbie confirms, and Vex relaxes slightly. “You wouldn't be the first to think so, though.” She digs in the small bag she had brought with her and pulls out a book of myths and legends. “This is really Hayley’s, so don't tell her,” she says, smiling as the Elders wink, nudge each other, tap their own (and each other's) noses and generally make it very obvious that they have been charged with a secret. “See, the Vikings believed that Thor created thunder when he fought the ice giants.” Ho-Tan carefully writes the words onto a fresh new page.

The candlelight flickers, sending shadows licking up Pressley’s face. “Was he a great warrior?”

Debbie nods. “He had a huge hammer and protected the realm from harm.”

Thunder rolls and Vex jumps. Ho-Tan gives in and wraps an arm around his waist and he melts into the contact, gently resting his head on her shoulder. She smiles to herself, warmer and happier with him at her side.

Elf yawns and leans on Trevor. “Tell us a story, Debbie.” The Elders lean in expectantly, Ho-Tan’s quill poised.

She hums, flicking through the book. “Alright, here. How music was fetched out of heaven. Once upon a time, the world was silent. Tezcatlipoca was saddened, for he hated to endure it, so he asked Quetzalcoatl to go up to heaven and bring down heaven's musicians for the world to enjoy. Quetzalcoatl spread his colourful feathers and flew up and up until he reached the sun. The sun, surrounded by dancing and singing musicians, was angry and unwilling to give up his music. No matter how much Quetzalcoatl called to them, they would not come because they feared the sun so much _and Flowers if you don't stop fidgeting and annoying Trevor then you can sit outside and miss the rest of the story._ ”

Elder Flowers shuffles awkwardly on his cushion. “Sorry,” he mutters in Trevor’s direction. The blob wobbles self-righteously and Ho-Tan, sighing softly, draws a thin, neat line through the admonition which she had accidentally included in her transcription of the narrative. She can feel Vex smiling slightly against her shoulder though, which takes the sting out of it somewhat.

Debbie clears her throat and starts again. “So Quetzalcoatl withdrew to the horizon and harnessed his four winds to the black thunder. He brought it to the sun’s citadel and it created such a noise that the sun thought he was under attack.”

Thunder rolls over Yonderland, echoing in the Chamber, and Choop sits upright. “Oh gosh. What excellent timing. You must teach our bards to do that.” Debbie looks at him, eyebrow raised, waiting to begin again. “Oh, sorry, sorry.” He leans back in and she returns to the book, a tiny, secret smile playing about the corners of her mouth.

“The musicians were scared of the thunder and sought help.” Ho-Tan tightens her hold on Vex’s waist slightly and he hums softly. “Quetzalcoatl called out to them: ‘come to me, little makers of miracles.’ In their fright, they leapt into Quetzalcoatl’s arms and he brought them safely to Earth, where they brought music and song. Quetzalcoatl and Tezcatlipoca danced and danced long after the sun had gone to bed, sulking in selfish silence. And that’s how thunder brings music from the heavens.”

Debbie closes the book, surveying the Elders before her. Pressley is snoozing, drooling on Choop’s thigh. His legs prop up Nick, who somehow looks less grumpy than usual. Flowers is keeping to himself under threat of banishment and Trevor is snoring lightly under Elf’s elbow, which supports his chin. Vex’s head is still resting on Ho-Tan, who is scribbling to catch the rest of the story, and he watches her with fond astonishment, as if unable to believe his luck. Choop appears deep in thought, though how true that is is debatable. Debbie smiles to herself.

Thunder booms above them, fainter now, and Vex makes a disgruntled little moan. Ho-Tan squeezes his waist and leans her own head on his. “It's just Quetzalcoatl, bringing music,” Vex says hesitantly and slightly shakily.

Ho-Tan nods. “Exactly.” She rubs his back gently and he relaxes into the contact.

Debbie frowns. “That's - that's not true, that's just a story-”

“Peb peb peb, Deh-beh. Don't disturb Quetzalcoatl, he has a very important job to do.”

The Chosen One resists the urge to sigh very, very deeply.

**Author's Note:**

> If anyone has any prompts, drop me a line on tumblr: @doctors-star


End file.
